MAC Turquatic (Rollerball)

MAC Turquatic (Rollerball) ($20.00 for 0.20 fl. oz.) is housed in a slim, glass tube with a gradient of yellowed chartreuse to greenish-teal. The fragrance is inspired by the sea with a “crisp and energizing” feel. The notes, as included in the press release, are: mineral water, anemone, lotus, orris, and Corsican blue cedar.

It’s a fresh scent with a musky floral vibe–it dries down on me and smells heavier than one expect for a “crisp” fragrance. The sillage is low, which means the scent kisses the skin but doesn’t waft, so it ends up being a subtler scent that you can smell but others will barely notice. There is a light, watery element that keeps it from becoming too heady, sexy, or otherwise categorized as more of a musky scent, but there’s still an inkling of something darker lying beneath the surface. For me, the lotus and blue cedar dominate, but they work well together. If you have Dolce & Gabbana’s Light Blue, this might smell familiar.

Turquatic’s scent doesn’t turn on me as it wears, but it only lasts a few hours (three to four) before being nearly indetectable on the skin. For a scent that already wears as close to the skin as it does, having to reapply it two or three times a day is not particularly palatable. Rollerballs are all about convenience–and you’ll pay for it–but contain little product inside. MAC has priced Turquatic where many other brands have priced theirs.

It will launch on August 11th and become part of the permanent range. It is also available in 20ml ($27.50) and 50ml ($49.50) bottles–I will have photos of the latter up soon.

NARS Bourbon Street Larger Than Life Eyeliner

NARS Bourbon Street Larger Than Life Eyeliner ($23.00 for 0.02 oz.) is described as “purple.” It’s a subtly red-based, medium purple with a very fine misting of reddened purple shimmer. It has a rather faded look to it, overall, because the pigmentation is not as dense as it looks in the pencil. The shade is more of an eggplant purple than a violet or blue-based purple, so it will complement hazel and brown eyes quite well. It’s less plum than many of my other comparable eyeliners, so I wasn’t able to find any that I felt were that similar.

It’s creamy enough that it glides easily across the lash line without tugging or pulling, and the color (even though it’s not as rich as it looks) deposits fairly evenly. In testing NARS’ new eyeliner, I don’t quite get the stellar 12-hour wear as touted, but they wear well for a solid eight to ten hours. It’s still on at the 12-hour mark, but it has worn away noticeably. Make sure to check out my original review, which goes much more in-depth about the formula.

NARS Fall 2011: Galion Nail Lacquer

NARS Galion Nail Lacquer ($17.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “stormy grey.” It’s a rich, creamy navy-tinged, blackened gray. I achieved opaque color in just two coats, and there was no streaking, bubbling, or difficulty in applying the shade onto my nails. The formula flowed evenly without being too thick or thin. This shade looks really crisp on the nails, and despite my nails being too long, it still seems to work on me. I typically get a week of wear with NARS’ nail polishes.

It’s a little bluer-based (but still very similar) to China Glaze Concrete Catwalk. The way it looks is reminiscent of Zoya Kelly, but they are not dupes–Kelly is much lighter but of the same hue.

Urban Decay Goddess Eyeshadow

Urban Decay Goddess Eyeshadow ($17.00 for 0.05 oz.) is described as a “midnight blue with lots of electric blue micro-glitter.” It’s a dark, navy blue with lots of blue micro-glitter (more shimmer-like than glitter-like). It has a subtle sheen in its finish.

This is one of the less impressive shades I’ve tried by Urban Decay–it lacks all the hallmarks of why Urban Decay’s eyeshadows are famous. It’s not buttery, soft, or smooth–it’s gritty and stiff to work with. It’s not richly pigmented; instead, it’s patchy, dry, and applies unevenly. The micro-glitter is the least concerning characteristic, even though there is some fall out, it’s not too troublesome–it’s really the poor texture and color payoff that make this shade worth passing on. Try Make Up For Ever #81 is a much better alternative!

10,000 Posts, Oh My!

I’m a celebrator–I love celebrating milestones in life! Sometimes we get caught up in the process and don’t take time to enjoy what we have worked hard for, and I think that is why I like to take time to celebrate various dates, anniversaries, and milestones.

This post marks our 10,000th post on Temptalia, which is just really exciting for me personally! 🙂 These milestones in Temptalia’s history also give me a moment to extend the biggest thank you to our amazing readers! Without you, I would not have a reason to post! I’m so blessed to be a part of such an inspiring, knowledgeable community. Here’s to the next 10,000 posts! 🙂